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Gang stole my wall in Southend... brick by brick!

BRAZEN thieves pretended to be builders before dismantling a wall to steal handmade bricks dating back to the 1890s.

The gang even wore high visibility jackets to knock down the wall in Avenue Road, Westcliff, before loading the bricks on a truck and driving off.

A neighbour even offered the gang a broom to help tidy up, thinking the owners had hired the men to do the work.

Shocked Leigh O’Shea, who is doing up the house and garden of the property, which is on the junction of London Road and Avenue Road, said: “At first I thought someone had reversed into the wall and it had collapsed but then I saw the bricks had gone, apart from some broken ones and a lot of rubble.

“I just couldn’t believe it. It seems ridiculous that something can be there for more than 100 years and they just come and take it.”

Leigh, 56, a mum of five, is doing up the property, which has lain empty for 15 years.

She brought a friend along to have a look at what she had done so far, but found the wall had been taken.

She said: “A man nearby said he saw the two people who did it loading the bricks on to a yellow lorry with a flat back between 11am and 11.30am.

“They started at about 10am.

He assumed I’d hired them to take it down. He handed them a broom because he didn’t think they had cleared up very well.”

It is estimated the bricks, which were handmade in 1890, are worth up to £4,000 as the wall measured about 60ft long.

Ms O’Shea, who is a nurse and nurse lecturer at University of Essex had been working since Boxing Day with her family to clear the overgrown garden and rubbish both inside and outside the former antique shop and flat, before she and three of her children move in.

She added: “Doing up this house was one of those dreams you have. The opportunity to buy it came up and I thought it was now or never. I am just so angry that people should do this, how dare they come and take it?

“I work really hard and what I have I have got myself. I can’t afford to pay builders, I am planning to do as much work as I can myself and with my children’s help.”

Essex Police are investigating the incident, which happened on June 5. Anyone with information can call 101.

Comments

Keptquiettillnow
6:12am Thu 12 Jun 14

Might have done you a favour if you drive. Maybe planing permission might not have been given if the wall was that special. Now its gone you have somewhere to park a car.
Then again if someone has been that bold.

Might have done you a favour if you drive. Maybe planing permission might not have been given if the wall was that special. Now its gone you have somewhere to park a car.
Then again if someone has been that bold.Keptquiettillnow

Might have done you a favour if you drive. Maybe planing permission might not have been given if the wall was that special. Now its gone you have somewhere to park a car.
Then again if someone has been that bold.

Score: -23

sesibollox
8:25am Thu 12 Jun 14

Being worth a tenner each, should have got a lock Ha

Being worth a tenner each, should have got a lock Hasesibollox

Being worth a tenner each, should have got a lock Ha

Score: -33

boo beckett
11:25am Thu 12 Jun 14

They'll be caught very soon. The street cameras up London Road, A127 and A13 (depending which route they took) would have picked up the yellow flat bed truck's number plate. That dreaded knock on the door is not too far away.

They'll be caught very soon. The street cameras up London Road, A127 and A13 (depending which route they took) would have picked up the yellow flat bed truck's number plate. That dreaded knock on the door is not too far away.boo beckett

They'll be caught very soon. The street cameras up London Road, A127 and A13 (depending which route they took) would have picked up the yellow flat bed truck's number plate. That dreaded knock on the door is not too far away.

Score: 24

Nowthatsworthknowing
10:00pm Thu 12 Jun 14

Dosey Cow...

Dosey Cow...Nowthatsworthknowing

Dosey Cow...

Score: -23

Feminism is Dead
9:17am Fri 13 Jun 14

She looks happy enough in the picture

She looks happy enough in the pictureFeminism is Dead

She looks happy enough in the picture

Score: 0

Alekhine
5:03pm Fri 13 Jun 14

Large pile of bricks coming soon to a piece of green belt near you.

Large pile of bricks coming soon to a piece of green belt near you.Alekhine

Large pile of bricks coming soon to a piece of green belt near you.

Score: -2

Paul_Grays
1:29pm Mon 16 Jun 14

boo beckett wrote…

They'll be caught very soon. The street cameras up London Road, A127 and A13 (depending which route they took) would have picked up the yellow flat bed truck's number plate. That dreaded knock on the door is not too far away.

Thats if the police can be bothered. I was the victim of a hit and run on my vehcile and because I was not hurt they could not be bothered to dig out the camera footage to trace the vehicle.

[quote][p][bold]boo beckett[/bold] wrote:
They'll be caught very soon. The street cameras up London Road, A127 and A13 (depending which route they took) would have picked up the yellow flat bed truck's number plate. That dreaded knock on the door is not too far away.[/p][/quote]Thats if the police can be bothered. I was the victim of a hit and run on my vehcile and because I was not hurt they could not be bothered to dig out the camera footage to trace the vehicle.Paul_Grays

boo beckett wrote…

They'll be caught very soon. The street cameras up London Road, A127 and A13 (depending which route they took) would have picked up the yellow flat bed truck's number plate. That dreaded knock on the door is not too far away.

Thats if the police can be bothered. I was the victim of a hit and run on my vehcile and because I was not hurt they could not be bothered to dig out the camera footage to trace the vehicle.

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